An English film director (and apparently super handsome guy) was found dead in a boarded up hostel last week, just three days after he started a project in which he planned to live like a homeless person for a week to draw attention to the homeless problem. Now, he’s either a martyr for his cause, a cautionary tale, or both. Or maybe Newcastle is just really gritty.

Friends believed that Lee Halpin, 26, who was discovered in a boarded up hostel on Wednesday morning, may have succumbed to hypothermia as temperatures reached as low as -4C overnight in the city.
But yesterday, detectives investigating Mr Halpin’s death arrested a 26-year-old and a 30-year-old on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs.
A Northumbria police spokesman said the men had been bailed pending further inquiries and that a report was being prepared for the coroner.
Mr Halpin, a Newcastle University graduate, had planned to spend a week experiencing life on the streets and on Sunday, the night before he embarked on the project, he made a video in which he said he wanted to “immerse himself” in the lifestyle.
“I am about to go and spend a week being homeless in the West End of Newcastle,” he said.
“I will sleep rough, scrounge for my food, access all the services that other homeless individuals in the West End use. I will interact with as many homeless people as possible and immerse myself in that lifestyle as deeply as I can.”
In the clip, Mr Halpin said he was producing the documentary as part of an application for a position on an Channel 4 investigative journalism programme.
He said: “I hope that you perceive this to be a fearless approach to a story. “It certainly feels brave from where I’m sat right now. [Telegraph via Gawker]

Obviously, it’s a pretty crappy story, and not just because of Lee Halpin’s rugged good looks. Maybe God just didn’t want such a handsome do-gooder down here making all the rest of us look bad. In any case, if there’s a lesson here, and I’m not sure there is, it’s that you should take care not to confuse making a reenactment look real enough for a movie with doing an actual, real reenactment, provided you value your own good health. Bear Grylls sells his survival techniques well by drinking his own pee a lot, but I doubt he’s ever that far from a PA with a space heater and an elephant gun. Stay safe out there, kids.

Other friends have also paid tribute to Mr Halpin, who lived in Newcastle with his family, online.

Dean Sowden said: “Lee was a prominent figure in my life. I remember him as a caring and passionate young man who always had time for me on a personal level, he always had the right suggestions that got me over some dark times.

“I miss him terribly but I will always remember his wit, his smile, his hope that things will get better and, on a lighter note, his dress sense – boy could that lad dress himself accordingly.”

Sure, sure, it was his “dress sense.” I’m just glad I’m not the only one who noticed that he was ridiculously handsome.

Sad. I hope the positive side is that between this, Grizzly Man, Into the Wild and some other stuff, impressionable people realize that the reason people refer to stuff as dangerous is that it might kill you, particularly if you have no fucking clue what you’re doing.

Not actually in regard to the subject of this piece, but as for grizzly man, into the wild, and hundreds (I wish it were thousands) of other idiots, Darwinism is consistently re-proven. It’s good for society and the species. We need to thin the herd. That’s why I want to start a campaign to remove all warning labels, and remove all seatbelt laws. If you’re so dumb that you want to dry your hair in the bath, we’re glad to be rid of you.

Unless he was wearing next to nothing. I don’t get this, really. Up here in New England, every year a few donkeys get lost trying to ski the backwoods glades near Mt Washington, and stay out all night in the snow and MUCH colder and don’t die of exposure.

As a city, we’re famous for one thing and that is – moronic locals going out on a Friday night when it’s snowing wearing nothing but a t-shirt, shorts and sandals and expecting to fight off pneumonia through the power of alcohol. If he wanted to make a documentary about how stupid those people are, I’d be behind it (although GEORDIE SHORE kinda already does that) but there are plenty of spaces in homeless shelters across the city so I don’t know exactly what his point was.

people make excuses to justify their addictions, im not saying thats what he did. but its so easy to hide problems. homlesness is a condition circumstance. to some it could glamourous and maybe thats what he went through. I feel for his family and friends but 4 days and he perished. I mean c’mon theres was obviously a reason he did what he did and maybe it was to hide and justify what he was going through. he’s not here to defend himself, just maybe he was asking for help and couldn’t admit to people what his truth was. R.I.P Lee Halpin, i hope your story helps others in your(if it was truly an addiction) position.

I’m sure you all feel rather pleased with yourselves, hiding behind your computer keyboard posting what can only be described as pathetic and cuttingly judgemental things. Spare a thought for his family and friends who will do doubt come across these posts among others. Is it too big an idea for your brains to process that there are actually lovely, passionate hard working people in the wold who actually just want to make a difference where it matters? I’m sure if this was one of your family members or friends who had died in such a way you would be absolutely devastated and disgusted by the way you are going on.